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Top Gear will likely buy or borrow a Model S and do a review. Tesla can't stop them from saying anything they like about the car except for outright lies.

It's possible they actually like the car. They liked the Roadster but fudged the truth to make their own personal point about EVs. I expect they would have the same problem with the Model S and it would become a hit piece on EV's too.

I agree with others that have said Top Gear may just go out on their own and acquire one. It wouldn't be the first them they've done that either; as I recall, they went out and bought a Challenger SRT8 after Chrysler wouldn't loan them one for a road trip in CA/NV.

Everyone knows the show is scripted but at the end of the day the Lap Times are considered sacred and not manipulated.

Really? You have that much faith in the honesty of television and this show? I don't believe it for a minute. The driver, after all, can manipulate the track times just by the way he drives. This show is populated by carbon and fossil fuel junkies. There's no way they're going to let an EV have anything approaching a top lap time.

I have no doubt that if he refuses to leave tesla car at top gear, the program then people will take the opportunity to make a joke with that and get a test drive posing as a stranger with a hidden camera recording everything. This is already happening with proof of where the brand Rover City refused to let a car.

I think you should check Top Gear ratings worldwide. It gets around 350million viewers worldwide so I think they can live quite well without Tesla.

A positive review on Top Gear on the other hand would at least have some effect on Tesla. Top Gear could live extremely well without Tesla. If Tesla succeeds and dominate the world in a few years then it would of course be another story.

Personally I love Top Gear and laughed a lot when they tested the roadster. If you dont watch the show regularly you might think its a car program. But it isnt. Its a program made by guys who happen to like cars I expected the Tesla review to be just like it was. If you know these guys views on EVs then you cant possibly be surprised. If you want unbiased and thourough consumer advice on cars then you are better of watching another show.

I would never base any purchasing decision on a car solely based on a Top Gear review.

If they want to test the Tesla Model S they will. Several cars have been borrowed or purchased over the years to be tested on that show when the manufacturer didnt want to lend them a car for some reason. So Tesla can refuse, but mr.Clarkson will get a hold of one if he feels like it. Its as easy as that.

I think you should check Top Gear ratings worldwide. It gets around 350million viewers worldwide so I think they can live quite well without Tesla.

A positive review on Top Gear on the other hand would at least have some effect on Tesla. Top Gear could live extremely well without Tesla. If Tesla succeeds and dominate the world in a few years then it would of course be another story.

Personally I love Top Gear and laughed a lot when they tested the roadster. If you dont watch the show regularly you might think its a car program. But it isnt. Its a program made by guys who happen to like cars I expected the Tesla review to be just like it was. If you know these guys views on EVs then you cant possibly be surprised. If you want unbiased and thourough consumer advice on cars then you are better of watching another show.

I would never base any purchasing decision on a car solely based on a Top Gear review.

If they want to test the Tesla Model S they will. Several cars have been borrowed or purchased over the years to be tested on that show when the manufacturer didnt want to lend them a car for some reason. So Tesla can refuse, but mr.Clarkson will get a hold of one if he feels like it. Its as easy as that.

Most of this is true, but I agree, Top Gear needs the Model S. They will look pretty irrelevant if they never review the car that everyone else is awarding car of the year. Agree that they will probably just get one on their own, or buy a random beat up used car and call it a Model S then review that (gangster episode was awesome).

If you've watched the show, you know that Top Gear does not do car reviews. It is clearly for entertainment. I'll admit I watch the show and find it funny...but you have to recognize that it is in fact entertainment, and not a serious car program.

When the Roadster was on Top Gear, the negative script was damaging to Tesla's namesake--the cars are rare, the company was new, etc.

But with the Model S, it has won several legitimate automotive awards and has relentlessly been praised by automotive journalists. At this point, I'm not sure I'd care at all whether Top Gear criticized the car or not. There's enough serious review out there (Motor Trend, Consumer Reports, etc.) that Tesla's name wouldn't be hurt by a bunch of silly stunts.

I teach weekly classes around the world and am always surprised and pleased with how many of my students have heard of Tesla. I'm even more pleased by the number of my students that wish they had one. Clearly the word is getting out.

PS: I'd LOVE to see them turn off traction control and go crazy with a Model S. Even if they burn through the battery in 50 miles...it would be fun to see them tear up a few tires!

Most of this is true, but I agree, Top Gear needs the Model S. They will look pretty irrelevant if they never review the car that everyone else is awarding car of the year.

Point is that Top Gear isnt even close to reviewing all of the cool cars out there in the world. Especially not all American cars since they "only go straight forward and cant handle bends"...They dont really care about being relevant eiher. Quite the opposite actually as they play the "out of style uncool old-dudes"-routine all the time. They just care about themselves and making an entertainng show. They even make fun of most cars being crowned european car of the year. So winning awards is far from a given recipe for how to get a car reviewed on Top Gear. In many cases just the opposite. And I've seen all episodes of the rebooted Top Gear. Old Top Gear was a more regular car show with actual reviews. New Top Gear is pure entertainment.

I dont think many people would react if Top Gear never even mentioned the Model S. If they didnt test the new Maclaren, Ferrari, Lambo etc then people would really react... Not testing an electric car on a show made by and for "petrol-heads" isnt really surprising in my book.